5 comments about Cooking with Grease: Stirring the Pots in American Politics.

1. Excellent book, it kept my interest. Awesome stories of her life as a kid in New Orleans. Now when I see Donna on CNN I can understand a little better where she's coming from.



2. One word, awful. I am both a political junky and an avid cable news watcher. I've enjoyed Ms. Brazile's political savvy and her insight on politics. However, this book was not that. The story was flat most of the book with Ms. Brazile playing "Monday morning quarter back" about what the Dems (Al Gore) should have done with the Florida recount. Half the book she named dropped and made a poor attempts at trying to connect the dots.
   
   Donna is not an exciting story teller and failed (just like her many campaigns) at providing context to the most controversial election of our times. Overall the book was bland as though she has never cooked with grease. I've tasted more flavor and style in other political books then in this dull recount of an unsuspecting campaign strategist. It was not worth my money or time.



3. I had the chance to meet Ms. Brazile at a college graduation. She was the commencement speaker and I found her surprisingly down to earth and a good natured. The book adds to my opinion of her. As a woman in a man's world, she handled herself in good fashion.
   Pick it up and enjoy!



4. "Cooking With Grease" will be interesting for any political junkie though obviously liberals will enjoy it far more than conservatives. Brazile gives a highly detailed inside look at how Democrats approach elections but a problem is her writing style, which sometimes obscures critical points. As she discusses Eleanor Norton's campaign, she says a tax problem was resolved thusly: "We decided to just write a check, no matter what the amount was..." Now doesn't that sound like the campaign paid the candidate's back taxes? In another case, she is describing the fact that the campaign staff is tense and needs some time for relaxation. She explains that campaigns are "notorious for sexual escapades and relationships." Then they (Brazile and Tony Coelho) plan a party for the campaign workers and "[t]he kids got down all night and so did Tony and I." Doesn't that seem to imply that she and Tony had an affair. Yet another passage left me scratching my head: "I decided to help Craig, the former campaign manager, line up clients to continue helping me out with my new duties." Does this mean she sent business Craig's way in order to increase his revenues so he would be available to help her in her campaign duties? I am sure she would be appalled to have given these impressions but couldn't she write more clearly?
   Also, can someone get this woman a dictionary and explain to her that the word "literally" is not a contraction of "like, totally" as in a situation that was "literally down to the wire."
   Conservatives will have a hard time getting through this book; I know I did. Brazile has a vision of America where people are perpetual victims in need of protection from the evil rich. She believes poverty and homelessness are uniquely Black issues (God help the White politician who says that.) She adores the electoral process until anyone other than Democrats want to play. For example, she boasts of her ability to assemble large crowds on short notice but derides Republicans for "bringing in people to create a mob-like atmosphere."
   Brazile, or someone much like her, will be running Democratic campaigns in the near future. It will pay to understand how they think and what their tactics are like.
   P.S. In true liberal fashion, my library copy has been annotated in pen.



5. This is a wonderful, informative book that tells it like it is. I've always enjoyed watching Ms. Brazile on CNN and her book made me like her even more. This memoir is so powerful and inspiring that it will make you want to run for public office, or at the very least, go out and register to vote!
   
   Ms. Brazile is obviously a woman of passionate convictions and strong will--she would have had to be to fight her first successful political fight at the age of nine! A triumphant story about a woman who grew up poor only to become the first African-American woman to head a major presidential campaign, this should be a must-read for all high school and college students. Add it to your collection!

5 comments about Major Taylor: The Extraordinary Career of a Champion Bicycle Racer.

1. This book sat on my shelf for two years before I finally read it. I was suspicious that the writing would be workmanlike or that it would be merely admirable. Similarly, I'm not a big reader of sports biographies as many tend to be shallow. All of those concerns were quickly allayed when I began reading the book. Not only is the story extremely compelling, but Ritchie actually does a wonderful job of exploring Taylor's life and times. I found it difficult to put down, and upon finishing it I can say the book definitely merits another read. The story is painstakingly researched (and Todd Balf's biography on Taylor that is immanently coming out must rest on Ritchie's shoulders). Occasionally Ritchie does squander potential usage of suspense and sometimes he repeats himself. But these are minor quibbles. The only real difficulty with the book is reading about Taylor's demise. After reaching protracted heights of fame and heroism, the way his life ends is very sad indeed.
   
   If you liked this book, also see "Unforgivable Blackness," the documentary by Ken Burns about the boxer Jack Johnson--an amazing film about another black champion living in racist America.



2. As Ritchie points out himself, it is surprising that it took a white englishman to compile such a comprehensive history of an American black man who was one of, if not the first black world champion in any sport and one of cycling's orginal superstars.
   
   While the book makes for a good short history of the early years of cycling as a sport and how it has evolved, Taylor's transcends the sport of cycling and provides a rich glimpse into early 20th century racial issues, the development of transportation in the US, the twighlight of the Guilded Age and the onset of the Great Depression. Ritchie weaves all of these together in a compelling manner.
   
   In hindsight, while the likes of Jesse Owens and Jackie Robinson are often credited with being the original trailblazers for black athletes, they owe much to the brave steps taken by the now sadly little remembered Major Taylor. This book is long overdue.



3. This book was originally published by Bicycle Books in San Francisco. I would hope that it would still be available, even though 5 years ago hardback copies were selling at chain bookstores for as little as $4 a copy. The Ritchie book is written not just from the perspective of bicycling history (although it is well-researched from that point of view), but as an important social history. In addition, it reminds us of the history of the development of transportation and how bicycles were eventually pushed out of the public vision of having right-of-way to being relegated to the closed track of the velodrome so they wouldn't get in the way of the growing automobile culture. Major Taylor's career is important in the history of racism and attempted and often effective exclusion of Blacks not just from racing opportunities, but from the subsequent business opportunities that followed on the heels of the age of the turn-of-the-century racers. The largest reason that Major Taylor died a pauper was because he was not allowed to participate on an equal level with White businessmen in the developing automobile industry, according to Ritchie's research. Turn of the century bicycle racers, as Ritchie points out, were instrumental in contributing to the design of the shock system and the use of pneumatic tires, among other features, of the emerging American automobile. They also were some of the large investors in the industry upon their retirement from active racing status. Taylor wanted to participate in the design process and applied to a university for formal education in engineering, but was denied access, despite his hard-won efforts, previous inventions in bicycle design and testing, and celebrity status. The fact that the man died early of a stroke and alienated from his family and community in the end can only speak of a man who, after putting out his entire life, had finally been broken by the pressure of living in a racist society. Yet, writing his autobiography and selling it door to door evokes the phoenix-like quality of many members of the Black community who survive and thrive in spite of great hardship, even in our present times.



4. This is a very enjoyable book. Very well researched and documented (almost to a fault). Anyone who is serious about the history of bicycle racing in the USA must add this book to their library. After reading this book one must wonder how great Major Taylor would have been if the playing field was equal. Highly Recommended!!



5. I found this story of a black man in this early 1900 era extremely fascinating. His beliefs in fair play, extrodinary dedication to his faith and his hobby made him a role model for any and all to follow. his persistance in perfecting his beloved sport despite all of the negativity of this era, to me was unbelieveable. I read few books cover to cover but I have had the pleasure of reading this one 4 times. Ritchie has this book so well documented that anyone reading it would have no problem of becoming totally engrossed in it. A well done from me.

5 comments about Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times.

1. I first really watched an Ali fight as a boy. Ali was fighting his second comeback fight against the Argentine brawler Oscar Bonavena. It was a gruelling 15 round fight. It was on ABC, and Howard Cosell made it sound much more dramatic than it actually was. It was competitive, but Ali was winning the fight when he dug deep, and dropped Bonavena three times in the final round for an automatic stoppage. This was not a feat to be taken lightly. Bonavena had fought Joe Frazier twice, Floyd Patterson, Jerry Quarry, Jimmy Ellis, and a host of others without being taken off his feet.
   
   In any case, over the years, I had read so much about Ali, that when a friend passed this book to me, I was unexcited at the prospect of reading another Ali chronicle.
   
   I was unexpectedly delighted at Hauser's coverage of this legend. He brings out what a transcendant figure Ali was (and remains).
   
   He uses the same technique that made Terry Pluto's LOOSE BALLS a classic sports story, in that he lets people from Ali's past do the talking. Former opponents, wives, associates, friends, trainers all take their turns. Many are insightful.
   
   Hauser is not beyond showing us Ali's warts. We see him as an unfaithful husband, as a cruel tormentor at times, as a foolhardy spendthrift (chump), and for once, as a confused and angry young man, as he transitions into his Muslim persona.
   
   But he evolves as an incredibly special human being. As his skills begin to erode in the ring, his humane qualities flourish. He becomes a man of deep, contented faith. He performs acts for ordinary people that show him to be a worthy idol.
   
   As his career ends, he confronts his diminishing health and vitality by once again looking to his faith. He meets his fourth wife, and finds peace with himself.
   
   Some of what is in this book is hilarious. Ali in many ways is a true original. He is a first rate character, and leaves his ring opponents and his associates often shaking their heads. George Foreman tells a truly funny story about him, and later speaks in great reverence about Ali's greatness, and what an honor it was to share a ring with him.
   
   One thing the book points out is in the 1960's and 1970's, many of the fighters were thoughtful, intelligent and articulate men. Not so much anymore.
   
   The one disappointing item for me, was that the story ends in 1988. Ali's story has continued.
   
   Hauser is a worthy chronicler of this seminal icon. He has done a profound service for any fan, or any curious person who would like to know about one of last century's most famous and influential people.
   
   This is one of the greatest sports biographies I have ever read.



2. Excellent book with wonderful personal insight into a man who captivated the world and the sport of boxing. This is a must read for any Muhammad Ali fan.



3. The author has compiled a book that is exhaustive in its history on the great man. There seems to be nothing left out on him but it is so tiring to read page after page (500 plus) of glorification of Ali.
   
   I found that even a huge fan like myself was getting bored of the countless pages devoted to Ali's religion, health and finances.
   
   I think the book could have dropped at least 150 pages, possibly 200, and still have been a good read.



4. Mainly because it dares to take seriously a glimpse at his deep and abiding faith and his daily practice and study of his humble faith. For this reason alone, for its look into the soul of the man, please please do get this book. It also sees behind the glory and into the pain.
   
   THis book was authorized by the great man himself.
   
   THe one Ali book to get. THen get the Soul of a Butterfly, of course, on audio CD.



5. Thomas Hauser's definitive work on Ali uses a somewhat unconventional style in that he culls quotations from different interviews ranging from Ali's cook to Joe Frazier to paint quite a unique portrait of Ali unlike any other book.
   
   Though much research has been done through interviews of people each of which provide a unique perspective on Ali, it could have helped if Hauser could have interviewed more of Ali's detractors to provide a more well-rounded picture of the icon. The last part of the book pulls out all the stops and proceeds to venerate Ali to the detriment of painting a multi-dimensional picture of the 20th century's greatest athlete.
   
   An educational read but could have used a more unbiased treatment.

No comments about Things I've Been Silent About: Memories.

2 comments about La Vida Loca (Always Running): El Testimonio de un Pandillero en Los Angeles.

1. This book was excellent! I read it in just a couple of days. Since I first started I couldn't take my eyes of what I was reading. The story is shocking and rude, yet interesting and mind-opening. It explicitly tells the struggles of growing up in a foreign country with everything against you and yet find the way to a new world full of possibilities. Excellent for tenagers, parents, and students.



2. THIS WAS ONE THAT COULD NOT BE PUT DOWN FOR LONG.I DO NOT READ ALOT BUT I TOOK A GLANCE AT THIS AND CONTINUED READING TILL THE END. IT WAS REALLY SOMETHING GREAT TO READ.MY EYES COULDNT GET ENOUGH.

5 comments about Bird Lives!: The High Life And Hard Times Of Charlie (yardbird) Parker.

1. I've read hundreds of jazz histories, and Ross Russell's original classic, "Bird Lives!", remains among my favorite. I read it again this week, in fact. Are there more thorough Parker biographies? Well, sure. But Ross Russell was there. He created Dial Records for the purposes of recording Parker. Also, Russell (a pulp writer in his young years) always had literary aspirations, and his writing has that fun, hard-boiled style of the 1930s. Ross was a product of his literary times. I hope this book never goes out of print.
   
   Granted, I'm biased. In the early 1990s, when Ross was in his 90s and living alone in a trailer in the California desert, he and I corresponded frequently. I was writing a chapter on Dial Records for a book, and Ross was so encouraging and helpful. He had an amazing life to ups and downs. Ross was a very funny guy, and that humor runs throughout "Bird Lives!" With Bird, you either laughed or cried. Ross did a fair amount of both.
   
   Read "Bird Lives!" with an open mind, and ignore the bandwagon of critics who attack it. There's no substitute for fascinating first-person accounts, and Ross' personal experiences with the saxophone madman leave every jazz historian green with envy.



2. Ross Russell produced many Bird's historical sessions and witnessed him collapsing in California. So, he's the right man to write about Charlie Parker. On the other hand, his literary pretentions almost spoil his efforts. Buy Rob Reisner's "Bird" instead of this book.



3. For me, this book is one of those experiences that are about as good as it gets with your clothes on. Not only do we get to discover the genius of Parker, but we're taken on the journey with a brilliant writer. Here, Bird does indeed live. Russell vividly captures the essence of the man, the music and the times, and this book is as much a tribute to his superb literary talent as it is to Parker's prodigous musical gifts. A rare combination. If you haven't yet read it, I envy you. They don't get any better than this.



4. Charlie Parker was one of the most influential and important musicians of the 20th century. His musical creations and innovations shaped the face of jazz in many profound ways. In his hands the alto saxophone transcended being a mere instrument and became a means of spreading love and hope. In this classic biography we see all sides and facets of this complex and truly brilliant man. He was; a practical joker, womanizer, alcoholic, heroin addict, charming con man and over-eater extraordinaire. A legend is brought marvelously to life here, unlike in Clint Eastwood's well-intentioned but depressingly one-sided movie "Bird."



5. Ross Russell was the president of Dial records when Parker was in California. He recorded several sides while there, but Mr Russell, an obvious fan of Parker, makes a huge effort to desribe Parker's whole spectacular and at the same time tragic life and career. When I read this book, I literally could not put it down.
   Parker was a great clown and entertainer, something which Clint Eastwood's disappointing movie "Bird" never portrayed, instead sticking to the sad and seedy sections of the great Parker's life. I read this book years before the film came out, and I was shocked because I knew Eastwood to be a big jazz fan.
   Anyhow, every major event in Parker's short life is chronicled, giving an excellent narrative of an extraordinary career.
   Miled Davis in his autobiography said that Bird was a con, a cheat, and that Ross Russell exploited him. Nonetheless, this book presents many facets to describe Parker's life, in vivid detail. I'd call this essential for any true jazz fan to understand the man, his music, and the truly monumental and unsurpassed contribution Parker made to all music. Also revealed are all the main players of the time and their relation to the music and the man.
   Also, there are three books I recommend (in this order) to anyone who really wants the inside scoop on the jazz life: Bird Lives, Miles Davis' in-your-face-autobiography, and Albert Goldman's biography of Lenny Bruce. All three books can be read as companion pieces and give a realistic portrait of 3 of the most influential people of the 20th century and the world that created them. At the same time all three books provide an excellent reality check to anyone contemplating a heroin habit!

5 comments about Sojourner Truth: A Life, a Symbol.

1. This book is an excellent review and account of this great woman's life. Although it is rather disjointed in areas--there is a basic sense of the many challenges that Ms. Truth encountered. I found that it gave me a basic sense of her sojourn and it helped fill in the gaps left with other books. It was the basic information for an academic presentation I needed to prepare for one of my doctoral courses.



2. For some reason, most Americans know, or think they know, quite a bit about the Civil War. But somehow the decades before the great drama of the 1860's are little known to most of us. It's almost as if everything between the Revolutionary War and the American Civil War happened under a cloud or in some shadowed universe that sends out very few signals to modern Americans. In reality, the country went through a time of near-chaos as competing political and religious movements battled for the minds and hearts of the American public.
   
   Sojourner Truth, the subject of this biography, experienced a good bit of this social ferment, and the story of her life gives readers a good opportunity to get a grip on this very strange and fascinating period. The author starts with the odd fact that the name and face of Sojourner Truth became very well-known, yet the real story of her life was obscured by her status as a symbol of the Abolitionist movement. The real woman led a surpringly adventurous life, and she did it in the context of a society that supposedly kept slaves, women and rural poor people firmly in their pre-ordained place. The story of how a courageous girl named Katherine, born in slavery and poverty on a Dutch farm in rural New York state, became the free woman and independent thinker called Sojourner Truth, is worth reading for its own sake. But the book also sheds light on the wild side of American religious and intellectual life during her lifetime. While reading this book, I felt like I was really getting two books in one-I highly recommend this book!!



3. Painter's biography is excellent. She puts Truth in perspective with the challenges of her time. She sheds light on complicated relationships with noteable Abolishionists and with her own children. This book clearly presents the difficult life of one incredible woman who struggles to do her part to free all slaves, gain respect as a woman and be accepted as a human being.



4. I THINK THIS BOOK IS VERY EDUCATIONAL. I REALLY ENJOYED READING IT. I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT TRUTH. PAINTER WAS A WONDERFUL WRITER. SHE DESCRIBED EVERYTHING TO THE MAX.



5. When I read a book, I want to get a lot out of it, as I enjoy the reading of it. On the second point: this book is engagingly written. The author questions her own motives and information as she constructs a biography of a difficult life to document. We see Painter confront the challenges of performing biography. I found it a compelling literary device. On the first point, the book mixes biography with history and feminist criticism. This interdisciplinary focus produces a highly inviting book. Among other topics, we find out about the details of slavery in the North, 19th century religious cults, and the ways in which feminists and abolitionists of the time exploited Truth for their own gain, as well as how this appropriation of "Truth" continues to the present. On this point, we learn much about contemporary feminism and culture and its need for heroes-especially African American female heroes.

3 comments about Raising Kanye: Life Lessons from the Mother of a Hip-Hop Superstar.

1. This book is definitely well written and worth the purchase for not only parents, or even those of us who are fans of Mr. Kanye West, but also for all who would one day like to become a parent, as well as for anyone who is surrounded constantly by the appearence of the existence of persistent social and economic resistance (even on a daily basis).
   
   "Raising Kanye" is about love, motherhood, proper parenting, education, romantic relationships, family, music, traveling, politics, and so much more. I personally have learned much from the parenting and life lessons of God through Ms. Donda West; and even though I've never met my spiritual mother Ms. Donda West, or my spiritual brother Mr. Kanye West, I did learn that we attended the same church in Chicago, Christ Universal Temple; (realizing that) the world is indeed a small place in comparison and relation with the eternal being of God being One Love (as well as the betterment of the better of tomorrow and its' beautifully boundless beyond).
   
   Breathe...
   
   ... and a little longer.
   
   Now, believe... knowing that your mother's love is faithfully unfolding for you forever, however, in God's grace... STRONGER!



2. I think that this is a very good book. Ms. Donda West was inspiring to a mother raising a son in this period in history. She was practical, encouraging and frank. I feel that Donda's parenting techniques adds a dose of reality in today's society. She recognized the differences, yet affirmed her basic beliefs and standards for life.
   Congratulations Donda West, you pressure developed a jewel.



3. Donda West, English college professor, and unlikely mother of rap superstar Kanye West had some interesting points to make about parenting. She says she made sure that she raised Kanye to be respectful but also to be truthful -- hence his famous rant that George Bush doesn't care about black people. On the other hand, when Kanye fell asleep at the wheel in a car accident, the insurance company broker advised him to say he had been trying to avoid another car in order to get paid out. He refused to do that either. Growing up, she pretty much gave Kanye anything he wanted, in return for doing his chores and whatever else was expected. (I was surprised when she gave him $1,000 to buy recording equipment at age 13!) My biggest problem was that she had changed her opinion of the N-word and found it acceptable speech because words shouldn't have that much weight. Could that have ANYTHING at all to do with the fact that her son uses it alot in his music and she is involved in managing him? Hmmm. All in all, a fast entertainng read.

5 comments about Ramesses: Egypt's Greatest Pharaoh.

1. I am an ancient history buff (reading mainly about ancient Egypt and Rome) and have read this book twice so far. I love reading about Ramesses II in particular. It is a pretty quick read but that is because Tyldesley does such a wonderful job of describing Ramesses the Great. And great he was during his 66 year reign. His architectural, political, militaristic and personal endeavors have been unparalleled by any previous or subsequent human being. Tyldesley's book is very well written and accessible to all; I recommend it to even those who think history books are dry and boring. There is nothing boring about Ramesses the Great.
   
   Here are the chapter titles for those that are interested:
   1-Introducing Ramesses
   2-A New Beginning: Life Before Ramesses
   3-Ramesses the Warrior
   4-Ramesses the God
   5-Ramesses the Husband
   6-Ramesses the Father
   7-Ramesses the Mortal
   8-Decline and Decay: The last Ramesses
   
   The book also includes many photographs, figures, and maps.
   
   Other books from Joyce Tyldesley that I have read so far and would also recommend:
   Nefertiti : Egypt's Sun Queen
   Daughters of Isis: Women of Ancient Egypt
   Hatchepsut: The Female Pharaoh
   Chronicle of the Queens of Egypt



2. I had to read this book for my college history class, and I have to say I couldn't even get through the entire thing. I love reading, and I'm enthralled with Ancient Egyptian history, so it was not as though I was going into it not even knowing the content. I already knew much about the man known as Ramesses II, his wives and children, and much of what he had accomplished in Egypt during his reign, including Abu Simbel, Karnak and the Ramesseum (his mortuary temple), but this book just drug on and on. I knew names, so that never confused me, but I think for people (especially in my class) who had to read this book and are not familiar with many of the previous reigning Egyptian pharaohs or their names, including pronunciation, it can be an extremely confusing read. Tyldesley goes into too much detail of other pharaohs, using their names much too often, and as I said, for people who do not know Egypt, it can be extremely hard to follow. Even I, being an Egypt lover, would get confused from time to time as to whom exactly she was talking about. I would think that she was describing Ramesses at one point, but when I would read it over again, I would find that she was describing Seti or Amenhotep or Ramesses I. I thought this book was going to be a piece of cake, considering it was less than 207 pages, I am a fast reader (I read Anne Rice books and get done with them in a couple of weeks, if they're long... 500+ pages), and also because, as I said before, I already have a decent amount of knowledge in Ancient Egyptian history so I thought I would enjoy it, but I found that it was a very slow read for me, and it became dull after the first chapter. As I said, I had to get this book for my college history class, but even being an Egypt lover, I might have seen it in a bookstore and bought it just because it deals with the most fascinating civilization our world has ever known (in my opinion), but I even regret buying it for required reading. I had also checked out Tyldesley's biography of Queen Hatshepsut from the library for a project in the same class, and even from the little bit that I read of that, I can tell that it is her style of writing, not just the Ramesses book, that I do not like. Overall I found Ramesses to be a waste of money.



3. Although the book is indeed a somewhat "quick read" as it as been dubbed before, this book is quite insightful on the very man who revolutionized Egypt and it's well being. This is only the main ideas one can find on the great pharaoh. There is more info on Ramesses out there; this primarily focuses on the "improtant" information you need to know about Ramesses. The book includes many things that made Ramesses so great including description of his tomb, his life as a warrior and head of the military, his alliance with adjacent kingdoms, his following of religion especially his loyalty to Re, and even describes the Pharaohs before and after Ramesses including his father Seti.
   
   Even though a lot more could have been said about this great man, it is a very insightful book and should be a must for anyone who has interest in Egyptian history (since Ramesses reigned for nearly 60 years this book covers a lot of ground in terms of history). This is an intriguing book on Ramesses and the best and most complete one I have seen.



4. Joyce Tyldesley's 2000 book on this great Pharaoh is a nice update on KA Kitchen's 1982 'Pharaoh Triumphant' on the same Pharaoh. Ms Tyldesley's prose, while scholarly, is warm and engaging and at all not cold or repetitious. She discusses what life was like in Ancient Egypt during the Egyptian New Kingdom era with the massive statues of Ramesses II covering the land from the Mediterranean coast southwards into Abu Simbel deep in Nubia and this king's popularity with his subjects.
   
   The author updates our knowledge of Rameses II's monumental construction including the rediscovery of the massive royal tomb KV5 in 1995 by Kent Weeks which proved to house over 150 passageways and chambers to house this king's many sons who predeceased their father, and the discovery of a Year 56 stela from his reign near Damascus. The location of the stela hints to Egyptian military activity in support of their new Hittite allies in Syria and the Levant after the signing of the Egyptian-Hittite peace treaty in Year 21 of Ramesses II.
   
   Tyldesley notes that Ramesses II was a risk taker from the very beginning of his reign. Despite the spectacular failure of Akhenaten's decision to shift Egypt's political capital to a new city called Akhetaten (modern day El-Amarna), Ramesses proceeded to transform his father's summer palace in the Delta into a splendid new city called Pi-Ramesse Aa-nakhtu or the "House of Ramesses-Great-of-Victories." This city was about 60 miles northeast of modern day Cairo and served as both a military fortress, a springboard for his military campaigns into the Levant and a link to this region which was his family's spiritual heartland. (Ramesses II's family were northerners from the Delta) Ramesses' efforts was a great success unlike the fate which befell Akhenaten's isolated and ultimately doomed city of Akhetaten which was cut off from both Thebes and Memphis, Egypt's two great administrive centres. Pi-Ramesse Aa-nakhtu is likely the prominent Egyptian "treasure" city of 'Raamses' that the Ancient Israelites slaved in and eventually left behind in their great exodus to the Holy Land under Moses. (Exodus 1:11)
   
   In summary, Tyldesley's book is an excellent study of the man who dominated Egyptian's lives for an unprecedented reign of 66 years. It is a real page turner and one must be amazed at how the Egyptian's reacted to the death of this larger than life figure who had provided them with so many decades of stability and wealth. To her credit, Tyldesley does not neglect to highlight the gradual and painful decline in Egypt's fortunes in the later Twentieth Dynasty under a whole host of kings named Rameses from III to XI. However, it appears that little of the blame for these events can be placed directly upon Ramses II and more on mother nature as the continuous eruption of the Thera Volcano in Iceland from 1159-1140 BC depressed Egypt's agricultural production leading to severe economic difficulties in conjuction with the arrival of the aggressive Sea Peoples and Libyan invaders on Egypt's shores during the later reign of Ramesses III. Ramses II's reputation among his subject's remained solidly intact and his accession date of III Shemu day 27 was declared a public holiday during the 20th Dynasty so that all Egyptians could pay homage to his memory.



5. Lest you be led astray by the Book Description, Nefertiti was the wife of Akhenaten. Nerfertari was the wife of Ramesses II. If you are interested in Nefertiti, check out books about Akhenaten.

5 comments about Tupac Shakur.

1. This piece of work created by the editors of Vibe Magazine could easily be appropriately titled "Essence of Tupac." In this collection of previous interviews and vivrant photos you truely get the feeling that you are holding a conversation with The ledgendary Tupac Shakur. This is a must have for all Tupac fans and for anyone wishing to know more about Pac's Life. Good job by the folks at Vibe Magazine.



2. When I discovered that my 3rd graders knew who Tupac was, even though he died the year they were born, I felt that I needed to know more about Tupac. This book is published by Vibe, the official scribes of hip hop. It is a collection on interviews and articles that appeared in Vibe and they document the rise and fall of Tupac.
   Tupac had "Thug Life" tatooed on his stomach and he lived the life of a misogynist thug. He was disrespectful to everyone around him. Perhaps, as Quincy Jones suggests in the forward, Tupac could've changed into a positive force had he lived past 25. However, this book, and his own words, show him to be a negative influence on everyone he had contact with. It is very sad that he died at such a young age. It is even sadder that so many youngesters know who he was but cannot tell you about the lives of people who have accomplished great things with their lives. I have my work cut out for me next school year.
   Mark Gast



3. As a massive fan of the late great Tupac Shakur, there are few publishings that capture as much information and insight into his life and career as this amazing book from the good people at Vibe Magazine. Consisting of every Vibe article and interview written on Shakur between 1994-97, this gives even the most casual of Pac's fans more information than they could ever dream of. With features on his early career, his signing to Death Row, and his infamous interview with Kevin Powell from inside Clinton Correctional Facility where he denounced "Thug Life", it's all here. This book also contains some of the most informative material on the feud between Death Row Records and Bad Boy. You'll get everyone's side of the story on the Can-Am Studio shooting. You'll hear what both Suge and Puffy had to say about the East vs. West saga. You will also get to hear Pac at his rawest and most candid. If you are even the least bit interested in the amazing story of Tupac Shakur, you should pick up this book.



4. 2pac is a legacy of our generation..he is and will always be the best, not only was he an awesome rapper, but he was also a good actor and poet. This book is very well done and covers so much. When he was shot the first time 5 times..and leading up to his unjustly death..i recommend this book to anyone if they want to learn about 2pac, he wasnt a bad man or a gangsta like most assume, he was just at the wrong place at the wrong time..or he just got involved with the wrong ppl...and like he said live by the gun..die by the gun..and that is exactly what happened to this man...may he rest in peace



5. I my self am not a very big fan of rap music however i was intrigued to read this book after looking into some of the lyrics of 2pacs singles they seemed very in depth. After reading the lyrics i felt that his words had a lot of depth and soul attached to them which intrigued me to find out more about the rap star.

   I myself have a genuine interest in politics, philisophy and poetry similarly to 2pac and i felt that i could relate to some of the lyrics he wrote. This book on tupac gives a deeper insight to the rap artist not only his music and talent but to his life it shed light on many differant topics from differant aspects and i found it very inspirational. What i particularly liked about this book was the way it presented both sides of the story (with the rape case) and i felt this ruled out any bias.

   I would recommend this book to anyone who has a love for reading regardless of whether they have a genuine interest in rap this book not only looks at his career but looks at his inspiration, ambition, life and above all recognised him as more than a rap artist but as a human being and who he actually was!!!